The 5 greatest QB/WR combinations in Dolphins history

Former Dolphins Bob Griese and Dan Marino stand next to current quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who is wearing the new Dolphins uniform at an unveiling party at Sun Life Stadium on April 25, 2013. (Allen Eyestone/The Palm Beach Post)

From Bob Griese to Dan Marino and Paul Warfield to Mark Clayton, Miami has seen its fair share of talented skill position players over the years. And those stars — not surprisingly — have made for some impressive “quarterback-to-wide receiver” combinations.

As the current pairing of Ryan Tannehill and Jarvis Landry attempts to recapture the imagination of Dolphins fans, let’s look back at five of the greatest QB/WR combinations in franchise history.

Both selected in the 1983 draft, Marino and Clayton played together until Clayton left for Green Bay in 1992. The pair’s long tenure produced several impressive statistical feats, including having the third-most touchdowns of any quarterback/wide receiver combination in NFL history. Of Clayton’s 84 career touchdowns, 79 of them were thrown by Marino. Clayton also had five 1,000 yard seasons with Marino under center, including a 1,389-yard, 18-touchdown campaign in 1984.

Dan Marino and Mark Duper:

The other half of the “Marks Brothers,” Duper developed his own rapport with Marino, producing two season during the Marino era in which he eclipsed the 1,300-yard mark. Though the duo found the end zone at a lower rate than the Marino-Clayton pairing, Duper did have four 1,000-yard seasons with Marino and held up his end of the bargain in one of the best receiving pairings in NFL history.

Bob Griese and Paul Warfield:

Both a part of the historic 1972 Dolphins team that went undefeated, Warfield and Griese spent five seasons together as Dolphins. The passing game in the NFL wasn’t nearly as evolved as it is now, but Warfield gained 996 yards and scored 11 touchdowns in 1971. In the historic ’72 season, though Griese started just five games, Warfield started 11 and caught 29 passes for 606 yards. The pair connected for four touchdowns in the 1973 regular-season finale against the Lions. The Dolphins would go on to win the Super Bowl that season.

Bob Griese and Nat Moore:

Giese and Moore spent seven seasons together in Miami, making the playoff three times in that span. Griese had one of his best passing seasons in 1977, throwing for 2,252 yards and 22 touchdowns. That year, Moore caught 52 passes for 765 yards and 12 scores. The 12 touchdowns was the highest total in Moore’s career, though he added another 10 a year later, with Griese again playing the role of provider.

Dan Marino and O.J. McDuffie:

The pairing of Dan Marino and O.J. McDuffie represents the third appearance on the list for the Hall of Fame quarterback. Marino and McDuffie played together in Miami from 1993 until Marino’s retirement following the 1999 season. In those seven years, McDuffie eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark just once, during the 1998 season, in which he made a career-high 90 catches. He amassed 3,730 receiving yards in a four-year span from 1995-98, all seasons in which Marino started the majority of the games under center.

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